Some of my fondest memories of elementary school were the school trips we got to take. For the most part, these fizzled out in high school, but I remember the ones from my younger days very vividly and fondly. These trips are often a great way to get students to learn new things without being cramped inside a classroom. Some school trips are local, and are simply an afternoon at the local museum. Others, however, are all day or even overnight excursions that go beyond the student’s backyard. The latter were my favorite, and I have great memories of the one I took in fourth grade in particular.

This trip was one day, but the day started very early, and we got back in very late. We drove about three hours south of where we lived for this trip to visit Lancaster, PA. I think a lot of children in Pennsylvania take school trips to this area, and this is because there is a lot to do there. We visited the Anderson Pretzel factory, Hershey, and a wax museum on that day. We also eat at a few different eateries and visited a train museum to boot.

When it comes to school trips today, most schools can no longer afford them like they used to. This might mean that parents have to foot some of the bill. When it comes time for my daughter to take school trips, I will have no trouble handing over the cash. I want her to have the same fun I did, and I also know that school trips may allow children to see and visit places that they might not otherwise get to visit. I have yet to visit Lancaster again since my trip with my classmates, though I really do want to go again someday.
There are other types of school trips your child may need to take, and these will definitely cost you some cash. When I was in band in high school we went to Washington DC to play for the President. I was honored to go, and we made it a three or four day trip. We stayed in a hotel in DC and we saw a lot of what that city has to offer, including the Smithsonian. If you have trouble coming up with the money for your kids to attend school trips, talk with your child’s teacher or school board, and you may find that someone is willing to help you out.